


These Little Lies

by AmberAngeleno



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Gen, OT5 Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-03
Updated: 2013-01-03
Packaged: 2017-11-23 11:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/621390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberAngeleno/pseuds/AmberAngeleno
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>Zayn cries that night and Louis cries too, because he’s started something that he can’t figure out how to stop.</em> The boys are abused by their new manager. Minor mentions of Larry and Payzer. OT5 friendship. Responsible!Louis. One-shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	These Little Lies

_This ain’t all it’s cracked up to be  
’Cause I’m using you, you’re using me  
It’s never as easy as we believe”_

It all starts because Louis is misbehaving during an Important Interview. Kyle has been working with them for about 2 months; he’d come to replace Ian, who’d gone to work with Olly after one too many of Louis’ pranks. All of the boys take immense enjoyment in making employees of Modest Management quit, but no one enjoys it more than Louis. The day Ian announced his departure, the boys had gathered at Harry and Louis’ flat and ordered a cake with 7 candles, one for each person that had been tortured until they quit.

On the day of the Important Interview, they arrive with Paul and a few other security guards. They are brought up to the room where the interview will take place and the security guards leave them with Kyle. Ruby was supposed to be here instead, but she’s sick today. He tells them what the questions are going to be and what to say and who is going to answer what. It’s a morning interview and normally, Louis would be too tired to try anything. But he went to bed early last night and had just enough coffee this morning to put him in a “fucking things up” mood. As soon as the interview starts, he makes that clear. Kyle is standing off to the side and every time Louis does something he knows he shouldn't, he looks over to see Kyle’s reaction. After the first 2 minutes, he’s pissed. A few more minutes pass and Louis’ band mates begin to join him in their little rebellion and then Kyle outright fuming. The boys are having a blast, laughing and looking over at him as if to say “what are you going to do about it?” After 10 minutes the interview ends as planned and the cameras go off. They watch, giggling as Kyle says goodbye to the interviewer and she leaves.

What happens next is not part of What Was Supposed to Happen. It’s just them and Kyle in the room, because the teenage boy who is making Paul’s coffee downstairs messed it up the first time. Kyle stalks over to where the boys are sitting, still half-heartedly stifling laughter. His eyes show fury like they've never seen before but they don’t even realize it because they’re still soaring on the thrill of disobedience. He reaches them and looks down at their smiling, taunting little faces and he cracks. Louis is yanked up by his arm. Hard. So hard it hurts and makes the other 4 boys shut up because this has never happened before.

Kyle doesn't let go of his arm even when Louis tries to pull it free. “What the fuck was that?” Kyle booms.

For once, Louis doesn't have a comeback. He just wants his arm free. No one has ever grabbed him like this before and he doesn't like it. “Let me go,” he demands.

“What, you think you’re the shit, don’t you? Louis fucking Tomlinson is too good for everyone. Well I’ll tell you what, if you ever make me look like a fool again, a little bruise on your arm is gonna be the least of your worries, you hear me?” Kyle is pulling Louis close to him and shouting directly in his face. His attempts to get away are all in vain as Kyle is in his thirties and much too strong.

Liam tries to intervene by standing up. “Okay, he’s not going to-” He starts to explain but is cut off by Kyle roughly shoving him back onto the couch with his free hand. His attention goes back to Louis, who has stopped struggling and started tearing up. He looks anywhere but at Kyle because he’s not going to cry over a stupid Talk. He’s gotten plenty of Talks before but they've never hurt like this one. 

“Now this isn't going to happen again, is it?”

Louis says nothing. He stares at the ground and pretends that he’s somewhere else, because this isn't happening. Kyle squeezes his arm harder and he winces. He’s going to have one hell of a bruise. “Lou,” Harry pleads, wishing that his boyfriend wasn't so damn stubborn.

Louis shakes his head no.

“Oh so now you've lost your voice? Answer me; are you going to pull this shit again?” Kyle demands.

“No,” Louis whispers.

“What was that?” Kyle taunts.

“No,” Louis says louder, a tear of frustration and humiliation falling down his cheek.

Kyle releases the 20 year old, tossing him back onto the couch like a rag doll. “Stop crying, you fucking faggot,” he spits. “You tell anyone about this and it’ll be somebody else next time.” He turns on his heel and exits the room, slamming the door behind him.

The other boys crowd around him as he angrily swipes away the single tear. They try to comfort him but he’s not having it. Hot tears of humiliation sting his eyes but he won’t let them fall. He’s the leader; he’s the strong one. If he hadn't acted out during the interview, none of this would have happened. He’s so God damn stupid. He always takes things too far.

Paul comes into the room with his coffee and tells the boys it’s time to go. The car is downstairs and they should get out of here before even more fans show up and the situation becomes uncontrollable. It’s then that he notes the looks on their faces and Louis’ glassy eyes. “Did something happen?”

There is an awkward silence, as all 5 boys stare at each other, waiting to see if anyone is going to tell. As usual, Louis speaks for all of them. “I said something rude in the interview and got told off,” Louis explains. He casually pulls his bunched up sweater sleeves down to cover the angry red hand-shaped mark forming on his forearm. Paul studies them for a moment. Something is off but he can’t tell what it is. He opens his mouth to question them further, but all 5 boys stand up and head for the door. He has no time to think about the antics they could have gotten into as they push through a crowd of fans and head to the next interview.

The next time It happens, it’s worse. Kyle’s hand flies and Louis is left with another pink hand-shaped mark; this time it’s on his cheek. The mark fades before anyone else sees it. Harry begs Louis to tell Paul but Louis adamantly refuses this notion. He’s the oldest and he can take care of himself, he says. He doesn't need Paul to look after him, he says. Harry, Niall, Liam, and Zayn say nothing to Paul. They say nothing to Ruby. They say nothing to their parents. Louis is the leader and he told them to keep quiet, so they do. The third time It happens, it’s Zayn. He flipped off the paparazzi hanging around outside his mum’s home on a day off. When he returns to London the next day, the picture has made its way to the tabloids. His punishment is a black eye. Kyle says if anyone finds out, he will make damn sure their fame is ripped away and the whole world will think that they are pussies. It’s true; what would their fans think if they knew that their idols couldn't even obey some simple rules? What would their families and friends think if they found out they let themselves be treated like this?

Zayn cries that night and Louis cries too, because he’s started something that he can’t figure out how to stop.

When Paul asks what happened, Zayn says that Niall threw the remote to him a little too hard and he didn't catch it. The other boys say nothing, because this isn't What Was Supposed to Happen. They just wanted to sing. They were supposed to never have to grow up, always bathing in the glow of millions of adoring fans and the unconditional love they have for each other. They were supposed to be carefree and loved and on top of the world. And maybe if they ignore It, things will be like that again.

But the more they ignore It, the further they get from What Was Supposed to Happen. The punishments get more frequent and for smaller things. Louis gets more punishments than any of the other boys but he doesn't complain. He knows if he does, someone else will get hurt. It’s his fault for starting this mess, anyways. He should have just listened for once in his life.

After 3 months, each of the boys have received a few punishments and Louis has been taken to the hospital once for a broken arm. Paul is getting more and more suspicious. They avoid going home, for fear of their families finding out. Their fans have always questioned everything and this is no different. They argue over what is wrong and create increasing drama online; some say it’s Larry shippers’ fault for causing tension within the band while others say it’s the fact that Harry and Louis have to hide their relationship. Zayn starts smoking more. Niall’s eyes don’t seem as bright. Harry becomes an expert at faking a smile and holding back tears. Liam cuts his hair and distances himself from Danielle. Louis doesn't smile so big that his eyes crinkle anymore. He starts drinking more and more, for he’s the oldest and he’s supposed to be watching out for the other boys but he can’t. He’s nearly 21; he should be more responsible. He should have behaved himself. If only he’d just not made that one face. If only he’d used a different tone. If only he’d acted his age, this wouldn't be happening. Louis is the hardest on himself, but all 5 have guilt inside them that is slowly munching away at their insides. How can they keep letting this happen? How can they sit by when someone they love is beaten, and not say a word?

Still, there’s some part of them that knows that this cannot get out. This can never be known to anyone but the 5 of them. They learn how to cover bruises and cuts. It’s winter, so they can wear long sleeves without drawing much attention. Each of them learns minor first aid so they can patch up the one who is bleeding. Whenever someone gets a punishment, the boys crowd into Harry and Louis’ bed and cuddle until they pass out, either from crying or pure exhaustion. 

One night, they’re in America staying in a hotel and Niall comes to their bed in the middle of night. He’s sobbing uncontrollably and won’t speak to them. They take off his clothes and check him for injuries but there’s nothing anywhere and they have a pretty good idea of what Kyle could have made Niall do that would leave no physical marks, so they just sit with him on their bed and try to soothe him. But Niall is inconsolable. This scares Harry more than anything else ever has; he’s just 18 years old and this is not What Was Supposed to Happen. He begs Niall to tell them what happened and when he can’t because he’s crying too hard, Harry starts to cry as well.

Louis is terrified as well, but he’s not like Harry; he can’t cry. It’s his job to be the adult. So he changes tactics and lies down flat on his back. Or at least tries to. Niall is clinging to him and won’t let him go anywhere, so Louis ends up putting a hand behind his head and lying down with him. Harry is too upset to be jealous so he cuddles up to Louis’ other side. Louis used to lie like this with Daisy and Phoebe when he was younger, with one twin on each shoulder. Now it’s two traumatized and scared boys, but the affection is the same. He brings both arms up, one in Harry’s hair and the other on Niall’s back, whispering promises to them. It will be okay. This won’t happen again. The steady rise and fall of Louis’ chest appeases the younger boys until the tears have ceased and given way to the intermittent sniffle.

“What if he comes in here?” Niall asks. It’s the first time he’s actually spoken since he appeared in Harry and Louis’ room over 15 minutes ago. His voice is not that of the poised young man who couldn't stop laughing in the video diaries, but that of a quiet, bashful little boy.

“He won’t,” Louis replies. “He’s never gone that far before.”

“But what if he does?” Niall counters.

“I won’t let anything happen to you,” Louis promises. 

Niall and Harry seem to accept that answer as neither asks anything further. After that, the only sound in the room is soft breathing and sometimes, the rustle of sheets as someone repositions a limb. Thirty seconds pass like that. Harry lifts his head up to get a goodnight kiss from Louis and then resumes his previous position. Two more minutes go by. Louis draws patterns on their backs. At the end of 5 minutes, Niall and Harry’s breathing has slowed and neither has fidgeted with the blanket for a while. He waits another minute anyway. Then counts to 10 very slowly, just to be sure they’re asleep.

They are, so Louis begins the very long and slow process of disentangling himself from them. He gives them pillows and each other to hold on to when they reach out for him in their sleep and, after several close calls, Louis slides out from between them. He crawls past Niall’s feet and out of bed. Once he’s free, he steals a glance at the 2 sleeping boys. They look impossibly young; not even close to 18 and 19 years old. Niall still has a fading bruise on his left arm and, with the way Harry’s shirt is riding up, he can see the scratches that have not quite healed.

He’s done with this. Done with crying himself to sleep and waking up at 4 in the morning to patch somebody up or calm a hysterically crying band mate. He’s through making sure his sleeves are long enough and deflecting Paul’s questions. He’s sick of grieving What Was Supposed to Happen.

Louis silently pads over to the hotel phone on the table across the room. He picks it up, hand shaking like the first time they performed live, and calls the police.


End file.
